Boat crane



F. R. ZIMMERMAN.

BOAT CRANE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.2B. 1921.

1,42 ,8 PatentedSept. 12,1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

F. n. ZIMMERMAN.

v BOATCBANEL APPLICATION men AUG-26,192!- v Patentedsept. 12, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET z.

F. R. ZIMMERMAN.

BOAT CRANE.

APPLICA lON FILED AUG-26, 1921.

1,428,809: Patentedsept. 12,1922.

3SHEETS-SHEET a.

um i 27 I0 40 j I pivotal connection of the upper end of the Patented Sept. 12, 1922.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK R. ZIMMERMAN, OF SUPERIOR, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR T SUPERIOR IR WORKS COMPANY, OF SUPERIOR, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISGONSIN BOAT CRANE.

Application filed August 26, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK. R. Zmriuna MAN, acitizen ofthe UnitedStates, residing at Superior, inthecounty of Douglas and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boat Cranes, of which the following is a spec1- fication, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to boat cranes and has specialreference to a traveling, collapsible and foldable crane for canal. boats.

The principal object of the invention 18 to produce anadjustable crane of the charaoter described for boats navigating re stricted waters such .as canals or the like wherein'occur numerous fixed bridges under which it becomes necessary-for the boats to pass from timeto time and in which event the clearance intermediate ofthe deck of the boat and the bridge is limited, neces sarily limiting the distance anything carried by the boat can" project above the deck thereof.

Anotherobject is to produce a devlce of this character which may be quickly and conveniently adjusted to or from its operative position.

Other objects and advantageswill appear in the further description of the invention. Referring to the accompanying draw ng forming part of this application. in which like reference characters indicate like parts: Fi ure 1 represents a vertical cross sectional view of a canalboatshowing one of the improved cranes in operative position thereupon; j

Figure 2lis an endelevation of a crane, Figure 3 is anenlarged transverse section- 21.1 View of the trolley track showing the supporting legs in elevation;

F igure i is a top plan view of the pivotally united ends of the supporting legs,

Figureh is a view similar to Figure 3 showing one offthe track suspending yokes and the trolley in elevation.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of one of the suspending yokes Figure 7 is a plan. view of the hinged. c011- neotion ofjone jib of the crane showing the upright mastin section, and

Figure 8 isanfelevation of the lugs forming the pivotal connection of the jib.

1 represents the hull of a modern canal Serial No. 495,690.

boat having the hatch coaming 52 elevated somewhat above the deck, leaving a fore and aft space or runway 3 intermediate of said coamings and the outer edge of the boat, such being common in vessels of this character. It is understood by those versed in the art thatthe hatch coamings 2 are not continuous the full length of the boat but only about the hatches, leaving spaces flush with the space or deck 3 intermediate of the hatches, and into one of which spaces it may be desirable at times to lower the crane.

In carrying out the herein described embodiment of the invention, a track rail 4 is securely fixed approximately in the center of the deck in each space 3, fore and aft of the boat. a On one of the rails 4; is mounted a power carriage 5, and spaced therefrom the dolly 6 which. respectively support the normally oblique legs 7 and 8 of one side of the crane. These legs are pivotally united at their upper ends as at 9, and suspended therefrom is the thwa-rtship crane track which is composed of the two spaced channel bars 10. These bars are held. in their fixed spaced relation to each other by suitable U-shaped yokes 11, a pair of which, indicated at 12, are so spaced adjacent either end of the center-most portion of the trolley track as to be cooperatively assembled with the pivotal connection 9 of the upper ends of the legs of the crane, they being suitably shaped for such purpose.

As an additional support for the power carriage 5 I haveshown a flat wheel 13 upon the inner side thereof which may rest directly upon the deck 3 and assist in stabilizing the carriage, and, if desired, any form of rail gripping device, as indicated at 39, may be employed for holding the can riage or dollies in clamped relation to the rails l.

Upon the'opposite side of the boat to that carrying the pair of legs just described are a similar pair of crane supporting legs 1 L, they being connected at their upper ends to the trolley track in exactly the same manner as the legs 7 and 8, and are pivotally supported at their lower ends upon two dollies 15 of the same construction as that shown at 6 associated with the legs 7 and 8.

These vehicle supports for the lower ends of the legs are held together by a line 16 of suitable predetermined length and when it is desired tovraise or lower the crane it is only necessary to connect each palr of carriages which support the legs by a suitable block and tackle engaged in the shackles 17 andlS, provided for that purpose. This block and tackle may be operated by hand vor any convenient source of pulling power as for example the nigger head 19 on the winch 20 mounted on the power carriage 5. This carriage may also have a motor 21 mounted thereupon for operating the winch 20. In this manner the vehicle supports for the legs ma be drawn together for ele- Vating the troley track or 'slacked away from each other for lowering the trolley track'onto the deck of the boat.

v I have shown at 22 and 23 diagonal guys thwart'ship of the boat for bracing the crane,

1 track extends slightly beyond the pivotal connection of the supporting legs at either end thereof. Attached to either end is an extension orjib, indicated at 24, each being connected to the upper side of the central portion of the track by a hinged joint illustrated in Figures 7 and 8, the pivotal point of which is indicated at 25.

Upon each of said pivotal points 25 upwardly extends a short fabricated mast 26 comprising the two channel bars 27 havin theinboard and outboard guy lines 28 an 29 respectively attached in the upper end thereof, this pivotalconnection of the jib and the mast being for the purpose of allowing both to fold inwardly upon the central body portion as the jib is raised and tipped over for such purpose, which is done, of course, at such time as when the trolley track is lowered upon the deck of the boat. It is readily seen that this positioning and collapsing of the crane will snugl stow awa same on the deck of the boat with but little if any projection thereof above the hatch coaming- 2;

The hoisting or load supporting trolley is indicated at 30 and may be of any ordinary type except that I prefer to employ one having three sets of sheaves as indicated at 31, 32 and 33, which permits of the line leading to the double sheave block 34: and the dead end of the hoisting cable to occur at the extreme outer end of the jib of the trolley carriage on the opposite side of the boat to that on which the power winch is carried, thus permitting of the trolley being run back and vforth without affecting the elevation of the load carried thereby.

I have illustrated the dead or stationary endof the hoisting cable as occurring at 35,

which is the extreme outer end of the jib in which the single sheave 37 is mounted;

it being understood that a donble sheave, indicated at 36, is fixed upon the outer end of the opposite jib. This hoisting cable extends from its dead end fastening, adjacent the single sheave 37, to and about the sheave 33 in the trolley, thence down and about the double sheave block 34, u to and around the sheave 32 in the trol ey, back to and around the sheave block 34, up to and around the sheave 31 in the trolley, round Q08 .Of the sheaves 3.6 in the end of lihe jib, thence b to n ar und ne of he triple h g v da n to he hoist n m c a i m e endless trolley pulling iine, controlled by the hoisting mechanism at 2Q, passes n war ly e ef om to n aro n t of a triple sheaves 38, around one of which one side of the line passes to and around the sheave 37 adjacent the dead of the hoistin line, and thence longitud nally of the track of the crane to and around one of the sheaves 36 at the end of the op osite jib from where it returns to the trip sheave 38 around the opposite side of one of which it returns again to the hoisting nzfchanism; e t p sheav 3 be ng meme pon th up er end of the leg "7.

t is app re t to h e ve d n the a t that the hinged connection of the jibe to the central port on of the trolley track may be disposed vertically upon o side t area instead of horizontally whic wo penal; of the 'ibs being swung laterally instead 9 vertically.

From the foregoing it is evident that I have devised an exceeding sim able, folding boat crane forliandlmg freight to a d. rom the ves e nd one tb e my be readily collapsible and occupy the east space possible when it becomes necessary f he boat to pass under fixed br ges qr t 7 e t e lk or for lashing to the deck 0 the vessel for afe y when t 8% Having thus described my invention, what y I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. The combination wit a boat of the character described of a in dable, traveling crane cakrlried transyerse the decal/ Raf 1the boat, colla si e means or rais' ower' the dime at either end th e r aoi, said havin pivotally adjustable portions at the ends t ereof for extending be ml the sides of the boat, substantially as Qcrihed.

2. A folding, traveling boat crane of the character described oo nprisi two pairs of obliquely disposed ,admstab e supporting legs, one pair adjacent either side afthe boat and supported upon the deck thereof, a trolley track ivotall suspending from the apexes of t supporting of the crane, longitudinally exten ing jlv-r ivotally mounted to e ther an of the rack, means or a jus n t e la n n s of t legs towards or from each other for raising 130 1 glasses or lowering the trolley track, a trolley Within the track and means for operating same.

3. The combination with a boat of the character described of a traveling collapsible crane carried upon the deck thereof and means whereby the crane may be raised and lowered transverse the deck of the boat,

boat, of extensions upon either end of the crane plvotally attached thereto and means for raising and lowering the crane whereby 15 signature in the presence of two Witnesses. 20

FRANK R. ZlMMlEltltlAN. Witnesses A. Pi-IINNEY, FRED MICHAEL, 

